When the world's tallest water slide finally opens in July it will be, as this first person-angle video shows, be absolutely terrifying.

The Verruckt, meaning insane, will see its riders drop 17 storeys or 168-foot-tall - further down than if they were jumping off Niagara Falls.

The opening date at Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark was delayed for a third time by problems with the conveyor system that transports the rafts punters lay on to the top of the slide - it was originally due to open in May - but the park is confident it will be open for business in July.

While the launch for local and national was cancelled, co-owner of the park Jeff Henry compared the experience of riding the attraction 'jumping off the Empire State Building'. He's also said it was 'the scariest thing [he'd] done'.

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Further than Niagra Falls: Kansas City's The Verruckt, meaning insane, is the world's tallest water slide

Delayed: The ride was originally due to open in Spring, and miss its target on Sunday, and will now open in July

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Verruckt was certified as the world's tallest water slide in April by Guinness World Records.

Prosapio said park officials would not hesitate to delay operation for however long it takes to make sure the slide is safe.

'We'll take embarrassment before putting someone in the slide when it is not ready,' she said.

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No risks: A spokeswoman for the waterpark said they'd rather face embarrassment than risk injuries

Sunday's opening was to coincide with a one-hour special on the Travel Channel titled 'Xtreme Waterparks' documenting the designing and building of Verruckt.

The slide's drop is so steep, it is almost at a right-angle to the ground and to get up to the top of it, thrill-seekers must climb 264 steps. There they wait for their turn on a deck made from railroad tanker cars before speeding down, up a five-storey hump and then back down a second slide into the final pool.

Before the Verruckt, the record holder for tallest water slide was the 134.5ft Insano slide in Fortaleza, Brazil.